Did I Stutter?
by smile-lifegoeson
Summary: Harry Potter AU. Natsu is the Hogwarts Tri-Wizard Champion. The underwater challenge left him with a slight stutter from being under for so long. And now it's time for the Yule Ball. He's the champion, he has to have a date. The only witch he could even consider asking is his best friend, and way out of his league.


I have been working on this for a long time and decided to finally post it. Originally it was supposed to be a one-shot, but then it would have been super long. So you're getting a NEW nalu two-shot fic. In the Harry Potter universe! Something I have never tried before and so happy.

Most HP au's I've seen all circle around the Yule Ball... well so is this one. LOL. Oh well, hope you like it anyway!

 **Note:** this fic revolves around Book 4: _Goblet of Fire_. I switched trial 1 and trial 2, you'll see why.

 _Fairy Tail_ and it's characters belong to Hiro Mashima.

 _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_ belongs to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

"You're the Hogwarts' champion, if you can't ask a girl to the ball, then I sure as hell can't."

Natsu groaned, some champion he was. He barely survived the first task. Who the heck thought it was a good idea to have an underwater challenge?!

"I'm j-just gonna a-ask someone as-as a friend," Natsu finally got out. Unfortunately, the underwater task nearly left him mute. The Durmstrang champion tried to fight him to get to his 'something precious' first, causing his air bubble to burst. The other champion had made sure Natsu was stuck in the water, and if it wasn't for Headmaster Makarov he would have drowned. But the length of time he was underwater damaged his vocal cords, leaving him with a maybe-permanent stutter.

"Who?" Slytherin chaser Gajeel asked.

"I know who he _wants_ to ask," his dormmate Gray half sang as he joined Natsu and Gajeel at the table in the Great Hall for breakfast.

"No-no o-one," Natsu cursed under his breath, but the other two ignored him.

"Who?" Gajeel asked again. Despite him being in the house of the snake, his best friends were in Gryffindor. They knew one another since diapers, a little house division wasn't going to break them apart.

"Ravenclaw's number one perfect prefect, Lucy Heartfilia," Gray smirked right at the pink haired wizards face.

"I- I- no- no I-" Natsu couldn't speak fast enough to stop them, or his blush.

"Lucy? Good luck with that, Salamander," Gajeel snickered.

"Wh-why? She's my fr-friend…"

" _Everyone_ is going to try to ask her out. She's the prettiest witch Hogwarts has," Gray explained as he pulled out his potions book to finish his homework, "even if you are her best friend and the Hogwarts champion, that doesn't mean you stand a chance against the people who still think you're just Gryffindor's class clown of a seeker."

Dropping his head, Natsu smiled sadly, "I- I k- know."

Gray winced, hating that he was the one who pointed out to his best friend that he probably didn't have a chance. He'd had a crush on Lucy since he first met her Second year. The small group of Ravenclaw First years got lost so they helped them back to their dorm, and Natsu had been smitten ever since.

"Y-you could a-ask Lev-Levy," Natsu turned quickly to Gajeel, "she li-likes you."

Gajeel's face burned, "Like that shorty would wanna go with me," he crossed his arms and glared at the table.

"S-sure, she w-would."

"I agree," Gray took a bite of bacon, thankfully he made it before Natsu ate everything, "you're probably the only one she'll say yes to."

"Shut it!" Gajeel growled, "And who are you taking, Fullbuster?"

"Um," Gray's face pinked when both of them stared at him, waiting, "I asked Juvia…"

"Finally giving water witch a chance," Gajeel laughed, ignoring Gray's kick from under the table.

"G-good for yo-you, Ice prin-princess!" Natsu slapped him on the back, "Even if sh-she is a Huf-Huffle-Hufflepuff!"

"Nothing wrong with being a Hufflepuff, Gray knocked his mates shoulder, "Juvia is sweet. And I… yeah, I like her."

"Gihee," Gajeel smirked, then groaned, "well shit, guess that means I gotta ask Shrimp out now…"

"You actually think she'll say no?" Gray asked.

"Well," Gajeel scratched his nose, glancing at the table filled with blue and silver. A little blue head had her nose stuck in a book.

"Ask her," Gray threw his arm to rest around Natsu's shoulders, "then she can help us get Natsu and Lucy together."

"N-NO!" the pink haired wizard scrambled to get on his feet, tripping over his own robe, "I do-don't wan-wanna ask her!"

After that, Natsu took off out of the Great Hall.

"Tch, moron," Gajeel murmured, eating the last bits of his breakfast.

Gray stared down at his book, not wanting to agree. But how could he not?

* * *

"St-stupid G-Gray," Natsu grumbled, "why'd h-he have t-to s-say that…"

Of course he wanted to ask Lucy. Even before he was chosen for the tournament he had planned on asking her to the ball. She was his best friend… he wanted to hang out with her even if she didn't feel the same.

He was still glaring at his feet when he walked into the library, no finals this year for him didn't mean he could slack off. But his wondering thoughts took him away from paying attention to where he was going.

"Ow!" Natsu bumped into someone, knocking them to the floor, "Geez, Natsu!"

"Lucy?" the blonde was sprawled out on the floor, her skirt riding dangerously high on her thighs, "S-sorry!"

He helped her stand and picked up her books, "S-sorry, wasn't watching w-where I-I was going…"

She giggled, "It's OK. But what brings you here? I thought you would still be eating?"

"G-Gray and Ga-Gajeel pissed m-me off," he bit his tongue. He wished there was a spell he could use to fix his voice. He sounded like a nervous idiot!

"As always," Lucy sighed, hugging her books to her chest, "What happened?"

"Huh?"

"What made you mad?" she asked, "What did they say this time?"

Natsu's face lit up like a Christmas tree, no way in hell could he tell her that!

Or… this could be his chance…

"Um… w-we were t-talking about the Y-Yule B-Ball…"

"Oh!" Lucy's eyes began to sparkle, "but why would that make you mad?"

"T-they uh," _Come on, Natsu!_ He told himself, _You're the best seeker Gryffindor has ever had! And you're the Hogwarts Tri-Wizard Champion! You can do this!_ "t-they wanted t-to know w-who I was taking t-to the b-ball…"

"And, who are you taking?" Lucy asked, her voice softer, like a whisper. She moved in closer, gazing into his dark green eyes.

"Um… I-I was g-gonna ask, um…" he gulped, "I was gonna ask-" before Natsu could get out the rest of his sentence he was interrupted.

"Lucy! I need your help!" Third year Hufflepuff Wendy Marvel came running up to the blonde, "I have a paper due for Transfiguration and I need you to check it for me!"

Natsu had to bite down his groan. Ever since the day he was released from the infirmary with his stutter, he had to get used to people talking over him.

"Oh," Lucy sounded disappointed to Natsu, "I'll be right there," she shyly looked back at her Gryffindor, "what were you going to say?"

Natsu stared into her gorgeous chocolate eyes, desperately wanting to say it, but one glance down at Wendy waiting on him to talk made him chicken out.

"I-I'll tell y-you l-later," he grinned.

"Oh… OK then," she smiled and waved at him, "come on, Wendy."

Natsu waved at the girls as they walked away. Once they were safely within the many bookshelves of the library did he drop his grin.

" _Damn, there went my chance,"_ he whined to himself.

He pulled on his tie, not caring that he would be yelled at for having a sloppy uniform. He wished he could wear his scarf all the time. But they nipped that in the bud in his first year.

" _Maybe I can try later,"_ he thought, not even noticing a group of Fifth year girls trying to get his attention.

A blue haired beauty was watching him walk away, deciding that he could really use some help.

* * *

The following Saturday was a Hogsmeade weekend, Natsu wanted to get out of the stuffy castle and play in the snow. But old lady Porlyusica told him to stay inside so his voice could continue to heal. She was hoping that over time it may correct itself.

"Not fair," Natsu growled from his bed. He was in a pair of gray linen pants, a black long-sleeved Gryffindor Quidditch shirt, and his favorite white scarf.

"You heard the nurse," Gray grumbled as he laced up his boots, "your voice may go back to normal if you take it easy."

Natsu faceplanted onto his covers," But-but Fire Wh-Whisky!"

"I'll try to sneak you some," Gray put on a hand-knit scarf around his neck, he had received it as a Christmas gift in their Third year, "See ya later."

Natsu glared at him as he left. What was he supposed to do all day by himself?

"Come on, Happy," he called to his oddly colored familiar, "Let's g-go get b-breakfast."

" _Mreow!_ " the blue cat jumped onto the pinkettes shoulder, and they silently made their way into the Great Hall.

The room was full of the First and Second years who couldn't go to Hogsmeade, and the few who chose not to go. Including…

"L-Lucy?" The Ravenclaw prefect had her nose stuck in her Herbology book.

"Huh? Oh, hey Natsu!" she patted the spot next to her, "Happy!"

The cat jumped into her lap and instantly fell asleep.

"W-Why didn't you g-go to Hog-Hogsmeade?" he asked, not that he was complaining.

"I woke up with a headache, so I'm just going to study. Are you still not allowed to go?"

His pout was her answer, she tried not to laugh.

"Well, you can always hang out with me. I can teach you some new strategies to beat Gray at Wizard's Chess?"

"Really? I'm all fired u-up now!"

Lucy smiled, she hated seeing him so down since he lost not only the first task, but almost his voice too. He was even having to concentrate harder in class to pronounce spells correctly. If only they were in the same year, she'd be able to help him more.

She watched him scarf down two platefuls of breakfast in a flash. She did her best to be patient for him to finish speaking, knowing how frustrating it would be to not get your point across as quickly as you wanted.

"Yosh!" Natsu actually felt normal when he was around Lucy, "Do you need to go get your c-chess set?"

Lucy always had to take a moment when he spoke with little stutter. It was like she could pretend that horrible experience never happened. And she was the cause of it… She was the one in the water Natsu had to save.

"Yeah, want to walk with me to the common room?"

"Y-Yosh! Let's g-go!"

Natsu tugged on Lucy's arm, dragging her to the hallway and up to the ever-changing staircases.

"Slow down!" Lucy laughed, she was glad she could bring this side out of him even when he was feeling down.

"Natsu, stop running," a soft steady voice rang from a side hallway.

"Oh, uh, s-sorry, Je-Jellal," Natsu halted, groaning when Lucy ran into his back.

Head boy Jellal Fernandez stood in front of the Ravenclaw common room door, he smiled at the pair before inquiring, "How do you feel?"

"Ge-getting better, th-thanks," Natsu nodded at the blue haired wizard. Jellal had helped Natsu a lot over the years, the seeker had tremendous respect for him. Not to mention the fact he was dating the demon of the Gryffindor house, one wrong move around him and _she_ may hear.

"Hi Jellal, I was just going to get my chess set," Lucy let go of Natsu's hand and whispered the secret code to get in the common room, "I'll be right back."

Natsu nodded, he had never gone into her common room. Never wanted to really, the Ravenclaw house didn't like him ever since he became seeker in his Second year, they had yet to win a Quidditch match against Gryffindor.

"I'm glad you and Lucy are getting some time together, she's been a little moody since the tournament started," Jellal crossed his arms and leaned against the wall beside the door.

"R-really? What f-for?"

"She likes spending time with you, Natsu," Jellal chuckled, "and all your time has been dedicated to homework or getting ready for these tasks. Also your bout in the infirmary."

Natsu blushed, he knew he didn't like it when he couldn't see her… he didn't know it was the same both ways…

"Oh," he lowered his face so he could hide his blush.

Jellal patted his shoulder, winking then wondering off. Natsu bit his lip, wishing he knew spells to get rid of his red cheeks. The head boy and Keeper of Ravenclaw knew just how to embarrass him.

"Got it! Ready, oh, your face is red. You OK?" Lucy came out of the common room, a box under her arm. She reached out to lower his scarf but Natsu grabbed her hand before she could.

"Just a li-little warm. Let-let's go!" he tugged her back to the stair cases so they could go back to the Great Hall.

Lucy smiled, hoping that these moments never end.

* * *

"OK, so y-you won ag-again," Natsu grumbled, his arms on the table and his head hidden in his scarf on top of them.

"My dad and I always play chess," she giggled, watching the pieces reassemble themselves, "I bet if you played more chess than Quidditch while over the summer you could beat me."

"I don't thi-think we ev-even have a chess bo-board," Natsu placed his head in his hand, he didn't realize he was watching Lucy.

"I'm sure Zeref has one," Lucy reminded him of his own brother, "I'm sure he could teach you how to play better."

"He's too busy," Lucy jumped, even if it was only three words, she was surprised not to hear a stutter, "St-still can't believe he-he works to st-stop dark wiz-wizards."

Lucy nodded, "Proving to the world that all Slytherin's aren't all bad."

Natsu grinned, he was scared when his brother was placed in the house of the snake. He already had tendencies to play dirty, being around those influences could have made it worse. Thankfully that didn't happen because of a fairy in the Hufflepuff house.

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask you," Lucy drummed her fingers on the table anxiously, not sure if she really wanted to bring this up or not, "the other day you were mad at Gray and Gajeel because of the Yule Ball…"

Natsu gulped, he hadn't forgotten. And they hadn't let him either. Especially since Gajeel had gotten Levy to be his date as of last night.

"Wh-what about i-it?" He couldn't tell if he was just nervous or it was his stutter.

Lucy lowered her head to hide behind her bangs, "You never told me who you were going to ask…"

His mouth hung open, should he? It was the perfect setting, they were practically alone. No one was around to interrupt him…

"I was… I w-want to ask… um, I-I wan-want to as-ask y—," a hand clamped down hard on his shoulder.

"Hey Natsu! I thought you would be in Hogsmeade!" Fourth Year, Romeo Conbolt excitedly sat down next to him.

Natsu cursed his luck, it was too good to be true.

Lucy huffed, she adored Romeo but she really needed to know what Natsu was going to say.

"Nurse said I-I still ne-need to wa-wait," he told his junior.

"Sucks, I had to finish up some homework so I didn't go," he leaned on the table, "Hey Lucy. You guys playing chess?"

She murmured, "We were," sighing, she stood up, "but I have some work of my own to finish. But I'll see you later, Natsu?"

Natsu felt his heart drop, she was leaving? Why couldn't they just have a few minutes of privacy!

"Oh-oh OK, Lucy," he helped her put her chess set back in the box then watched her walk off.

"Are you taking Lucy to the ball?" Romeo nudged his ribs.

"If I c-could ask h-her," he glared down, feeling terribly grouchy, "If I-I didn't get int-interrupted."

"Huh?" Romeo dumbly looked around, "Who interrupts you?"

"I was ab-about to ask wh-when you sh-showed up."

Romeo grit his teeth, "Sorry, Natsu."

Natsu shook his head, it wasn't Romeo's fault. But he was running out of time. By the time he did ask she may already have a date.

"Um, you could go after her?"

"No," Natsu stood, pulling the fourth year with him, "let's g-go to the co-common room."

"OK!" Romeo ran ahead, not very bothered by Natsu's mood.

The Hogwarts champion sighed, he'd ask her the next time he saw her.

* * *

Unfortunately, the next time he saw her was in Herbology. And her partner was Sting, one of Gryffindor's beaters. He and Natsu were good friends, but Sting was notorious for flirting with Lucy, and rumor had it that he was trying to ask her to the ball.

"It's not like you have a date," he flicked some dirt into her hair.

"Hey," Lucy dusted herself off while attempting to tame the baby Man-Eating plant, "cut it out."

"Just say yes, you'll have a good time. Promise."

Natsu wasn't actually in their class, as he was a year above them. But the potions professor asked him to go get some ointment for him and he had to wait on Laki, the Herbology professor, to get it for him. He watched as Sting just talked as Lucy worked, completely unfair.

"Do you have a date? Is that why you're saying no?" Sting questioned.

"Here you are Mr. Dragneel," Professor Laki handed him a jar of healing ointment.

"Thank you," Natsu was thrown for a loop when he overheard Lucy say:

"Yes, I do have a date. Now stop asking and help me."

His heart dropped to his feet, he was dumb for thinking he had a chance.

"Mr. Dragneel? Do you not need to return to class?"

"Wh-what? Oh, y-yes," he headed for the door to the green house, but not before he sent a wandless spell to Sting's robes. A nice itching spell that Zeref created. It made him feel better for the moment to see Lucy laughing.

But as he made his way back to class he tried to think of who Lucy may be going with. And honestly, the possibilities were endless. He bit his lip, trying to keep the ridiculous tears at bay. He shook his head, clearing his mind before entering the potions classroom.

"Thank you, Mr. Dragneel," the professor shooed Natsu back to his seat. Gray was his partner, and he immediately could tell something was off.

"You OK?" the ice wizard asked.

"Yeah," Natsu laid his head in his arms, he was done with his work and didn't need to study for finals after all.

Gray wasn't convinced. But class wasn't the best place to have this conversation. He looked over at Gajeel and pointed at Natsu, making the Slytherin aware of their friend's mood. Gajeel nodded, letting Gray know they would deal with it later.

* * *

I hope you guys liked it so far ^^ I'm hoping to have the second part out later his week. Except I do have to work now and I'm already dreading it so it may take me a little time to get it done.

Here's a run down of the houses: (I had more, but I'll only put the characters who were actually in the chapter)

 **Gryffindor:**  
Year 6 - Natsu (Seeker)  
Year 6 - Gray  
Year 6 - Erza (Prefect)  
Year 5 - Sting (Beater)  
Year 4 - Romeo  
Headmaster - Alumni - Makarov

 **Slytherin:  
** Year 6 - Gajeel (Chaser)  
Alumni - Zeref

 **Ravenclaw:  
** Year 7 - Jellal (Keeper)(Head Boy)  
Year 5 - Lucy (Prefect)  
Year 5 - Levy

 **Hufflepuff:  
** Year 5 - Juvia (Beater)  
Year 3 - Wendy  
Alumni - Mavis

Tell me if you think the houses work or if i got someone wrong! XOXO


End file.
